Rodents take over middle school football field

THEY MAY BE THE MASCOT FOR THE COLLEGE OF SANTA FE - - BUT ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS COULD REALLY DO WITHOUT PRAIRIE DOGS RIGHT NOW THE RODENTS ARE BURROWING INTO THE GRASS OF SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND SOCCER FIELDS - - LEAVING SOME BIG HOLES JEFF MAHER EXPLAINS HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SENDING THE PRAIRIE DOGS PACKING we set the trap down here on the burrow rock it back and forth DR PAUL POLECHLA HAS A BATTLE ON HIS HANDS AT VAN BUREN MIDDLE SCHOOL HE S ARMED WITH TRAP-DOOR CAGES CARROTS AND CORN ON THE COB HIS ADVERSARY IS SMART FAST CUNNING - - - - AND CUTE it s very difficult catching that hundred percent because of them being wildlife POLECHLA -- AN ANIMAL EXPERT - ALONG WITH THE CITY S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ARE HOPING TO RID THE SCHOOL DISTRICT S PRAIRIE DOG PROBLEM AS FAST AS POSSIBLE THE SOCCER FIELD AT VAN BUREN IS OFF LIMITS BECAUSE OF ALL THE PRAIRIE DOG HOLES POLECHLA USES LIVE TRAPS - AND WHEN THAT DOESN T WORK - - HE FLUSHES OUT THEIR BURROWS WITH NON-TOXIC FOAM MADE UP OF DISH SOAP AND WATER FORCING THE CREATURES OUT then we hold our hand above the burrow and wait until the prairie dog comes up and tickles or scratches or bumps the palm of our hand that way we know to grab them by the back of their neck - much like their mother would grab them when they re young after the prairie dogs are caught they re brought here to the prairie dog house - there s about 200 in this garage now 77 are from Van Buren Middle School - they ll stay here for about a week - then they ll be released out on the West Mesa in their native habitat AT VAN BUREN - WORKERS NABBED 65 PRAIRIE DOGS SUNDAY - AND 12 MONDAY THEY BELIEVE THERE S ONLY ABOUT FIVE TO TEN LEFT VAN BUREN IS NOT ALONE - - HAYES AND KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CHELWOOD ELEMENTARY ALSO HAVE SOME UNWANTED VISITORS AND IT S NOT EASY TO GET THEM OUT one of the biggest challenges here is the human disturbance when they see a human they ll go down in their burrow and won t come out for another half an hour JEFF MAHER EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR CREWS HAVE UNTIL THURSDAY TO REMOVE THE REMAINING PRAIRIE DOGS FROM VAN BUREN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT S BECAUSE THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO HAVE THE HOLES FILLED IN BY THE END OF THE WEEK SO THEY CAN START USING THE FOOTBALL